| Nesting Wading Birds a Treat to Alligator Farm Visitors |
|
|
| April 24, 2008 |
|
In the middle of a local Audubon meeting last month there was a big discussion of field trips. A visiting photographer suggested visiting St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park to see Florida's wading birds. This suggestion was greeted with raised eyebrows. Alligator Farm? The one with rare and exotic reptiles, birds and mammals? Does that compute with seeing Florida birds?
It certainly does. This is hatchling season for wading birds. If you are ready for rookeries full of cute fluffy baby egrets, wood storks and herons, busy parents bringing them food and all of this only a short focal length away from where you are standing on a boardwalk, go to the Alligator Farm. Do bring your camera and lots of film or compact flash cards.
A friend and I arrived last Sunday morning and quickly found the excitement. In the 1970s the Farm expanded its Alligator Swamp exhibit. Without realizing it, they created a great bird rookery complete with tall trees, medium trees, bushes of sizes and density. Birds flock here every spring. The very presence of alligators helps the birds by discouraging raccoons, snakes and opossums that could eat eggs.
The first big sight we saw was a huge lens attached to a camera on a tripod. The photographer asked if we'd like to look through the viewfinder. That's when we saw roseate spoonbills up close and personal.
All along the boardwalk were people with everything from disposable cameras to mega lenses mounted on tripods. In the trees baby egrets, usually two to a nest, stretched their necks and cried "Me first" "Me first" or something like that as parents brought food, sometimes both parents arriving at once. Great white herons and wood storks used the same trees. Little green herons, tri colored herons preferred to thick bushes. Some nests had a parent sitting on eggs, feathers spread out, keeping the eggs covered.
Ironically, being here watching wading birds doing the family thing is the closest I've ever been to something that happens in the wild all over Florida. Think about it - to see this in the wild you'd have to put on waders or get into a pontoon boat and go deep into a swamp. Instead, here we are standing on a boardwalk and Mother Nature is unfolding her authentic drama right in front of us.
After some serious bird watching and alligator looking, we headed across the new Bridge of Lions bridge to historic St. Augustine and had lunch at the A1A Ale Works - brewery and restaurant at 1 King Street. We sat on the second floor overlooking St. Augustine Inlet. A sailing ship unfurled its many sails and cruised around the Inlet. Lunch for both of us was local seafood - we chose fresh blue crab.
Ah, we both said with a sigh, it doesn't get any better than this. What a great day trip! Your turn. |
|
|
|
|
 Forward to a Friend |
|
|
|
| Two baby egrets get food from a parent at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. |
| Credit: Lucy Beebe Tobias, VISIT FLORIDA Authentic Florida Expert |
|
|
|
|
Post a Comment